Leading fleet decision-makers' organisation, ACFO, have conducted a survey that reveals just 0.58% of employees take advantage of company cars offered under current salary sacrifice schemes.
The survey includes responses from members and non-members that collectively operate almost 27,000 company cars and employ almost 250,000 people, revealing that just 1,464 cars are being operated via a salary scheme.
Based on figures from HM Revenue and Customs for 2008/9, it appears that fewer than 60,000 vehicles are operated through a company car salary sacrifice scheme across the UK.
These figures also suggest the company car population has decreased to 1.08 million from 1.12 million in 2007/8.
The survey revealed that 26.4% of respondents were considering a review of the practicality of a car salary sacrifice scheme, and 20.4% stated they had no interest in the scheme at all.
Julie Jenner, ACFO chairman, said, "There has been a great deal of talk and media coverage of salary sacrifice schemes as a major development in the UK fleet market and, not surprisingly, providers talk up the market and suggest that take-up has exceeded expectations.
"However, our survey reveals that take-up would appear to be significantly below that indicated by many of the providers of such schemes. Organisations may have a large number of employees and may have implemented schemes, but the reality would suggest that car salary sacrifice only appeals to a minuscule number of employees.
Car salary sacrifice schemes were exposed as being more widespread among larger companies, with 10.2% of companies with more than 1,500 cars implementing the scheme. Smaller organisations with less than 50 company cars were the most unlikely to adopt the scheme.
Organisations of all sizes, from less than 50 cars to more than 1,500, have said they are currently evaluating whether or not to introduce a car salary sacrifice option.
